Today on the first day of your New Zealand itinerary, you arrive in New Zealand's largest city,
Auckland.
Auckland is a bustling city with a population of around 1.4 million.
Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the
world.

Often referred to as the "City of Sails", Auckland has two natural
harbors, and a warmer climate than many other areas of New Zealand,
allowing
locals and visitors to make the most of it's wonderful location.

Do you need help with a car or camper van?

We have access to all the leading rental companies and can arrange your ideal car or camper van at market leading rates.

To search our range of vehicles, check availability and make your bookings just click here.

Where to stay in Auckland

As you would expect of a city this size, Auckland has a huge range of accommodation, with everything from hostels to five star luxury resorts.

You can search through available options and read customer reviews by clicking here.

Our favorites

If you hop on over to our dedicated Auckland page, you can find some of our recommendations for the more highly rated hotels (the ones that our customers love).

So check in to your
hotel,
collect your
car,
and have a good rest. Tomorrow your adventure begins.

Day 2 Explore Auckland

As befits a city of this size, Auckland has lots to see and do,
and you will find it one of the highlights of your New Zealand itinerary.

One of Auckland's most popular attractions is Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World,
which was the world's first walk through, tunnel aquarium.

Here you can see over 60 species of fish, including rays and shark, and breeding colonies of gentoo and king penguins.

Auckland's
Sky Tower is the Southern Hemisphere's tallest building, at 328 meters.
The high-speed elevators take visitors to three observation decks, in
40 seconds, where you will enjoy 360 degree views of Auckland and
surrounds. And if you are feeling brave, you can take a Skywalk around the exterior of the tower, or even a Skyjump!

Waiheke Island is the most populated and accessible
of the Hauraki Gulf islands, and is a 30 minute ferry ride from
Auckland. The island has several beautiful beaches, and numerous cafes, restaurants and wineries.

There are a range of tours of the island available. You can read more here.

Day 3 Auckland to Bay of Islands

Today your New Zealand itinerary takes you from Auckland to the beautiful Bay of Islands (3.75 hours drive).

Northland
is home to the beautiful Bay of Islands, which have been a tourist
favorite for decades.

Aptly named, the region features stunning coastal
scenery and various small sea side townships such as Russell and
Paihia.

Days 4 and 5 on your New Zealand itinerary leave you free to explore the Bay of Islands. You can view a range of activities HERE.

Recommended activities are:

*
visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Described as the "birthplace of the
nation", the historic Treaty of Waitangi as signed here in 1840. The
Treaty House and carved meeting house are not to be missed. Maori arts
and craft exhibitions, and Maori cultural shows are a feature of the
grounds. You can book your day pass and tour of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds here.

* take a cruise to Cape Brett and the Hole in the Rock,
a cave that is large enough to accommodate large boats.

* get out on the water on one of the many cruises available. These include tall ships, high speed catamarans, and even overnight cruises.
All provide a unique experience in this beautiful water wonderland. You
can see a range of cruise options, read customer reviews, and make your
bookings here.

* visit Russell. Once known as the "Hellhole of the Pacific", Russell
was notorious for it's brothels, alcohol, and lawlessness. Russell was
also New Zealand's capital for a brief period.

Accessed by a
short ferry ride from Paihia, Russell is now a charming sea side village
with various waterfront cafes and craft shops, and it's a great place to spend a few carefree hours.

* take a kayak
trip in the bay. Calm, clear waters are ideal for kayaking and there are
a number of operators offering guided kayak tours.

Day 6 Auckland

Today your New Zealand itinerary returns you to Auckland.

Day 7 Auckland to Coromandel Coast

Today you head to the lovely Coromandel region (2.5 hours drive).

The Coromandel
Peninsula extends north for 85 kilometres from the western end of the
Bay of Plenty. 40 kilometres wide at it's broadest point, the peninsula
shelters the Hauraki Gulf. Auckland lies on the western side of the gulf
and can be seen in fine weather.

Where to stay in the Coromandels

The
Coromandel Peninsula is reasonably compact so you never have to travel too far to
see the main points of interest.

If New Chum's Beach and Hot Water Beach are on your list of "must see" spots, then Whitianga
would be the most central location for access to both beaches.

Perhaps one of the most popular
and unusual attractions in the Coromandels, is Hot Water Beach.

A
natural hot water spring at the Southern end of the beach is accessible
only two hours each side of low tide. The water can be very hot, and
finding a spot at the right temperature can be a challenge, particularly
on an incoming tide.

The region is well known for its beautiful beaches, and Cathedral Cove
is one of the better known spots. The beach has two parts, linked by a
cave (Cathedral Cove), and is reached via a well kept track. The journey
takes around 45 minutes.

New Chum's Beach is a hidden gem, voted as one of the "World's Top 10
Beaches". There are no roads or buildings nearby, and the walk to the
beach takes around 45-60 minutes.

Accessed from the north end of
Whangapoua beach, the trail takes you through native scrub and forest
before revealing one of the most pristine beaches you will ever see.
It's simply stunning.

Thames, the largest settlement on the
peninsula, has an old world feel, and the architecture in the main
street is very 1900s. If you are interested in the region's history,
Thames Historical Museum is well worth a visit.

Day 10 Coromandel Coast to Mount Maunganui

Today your New Zealand itinerary takes you from the Coromandels to the seaside resort of Mt Maunganui (2.5 hours drive).

Located on the Bay of Plenty,
Mt Maunganui
has some of New Zealand's best surf beaches.
There is a wide range of
places to stay
in Mount Maunganui, with beach front location recommended.

There is also plenty to see and do in the area.

Whale
watching and swimming with the dolphins gives you a chance to get close
to local marine life, and there are a number of tours available in the
area. A "must see" is

White Island, located in the Bay of Plenty. White Island is made up of
three volcanic cones, and is one of New Zealand's most active volcanoes.
Tours
to the island can be made by boat or helicopter, and can include a
crater walk if desired. Hard hats and gas masks are supplied, and
although tremors are common, the last major eruption was in 2000. There
have been no eruptions while visitors have been on the island. The
steam from the island is often visible from the mainland.

Rotorua
is one of New Zealand's major tourist attractions, and apart from the
thermal attractions, the area is also well known for its Maori cultural
displays.

Rotorua is located on the bank's of Lake Rotorua,
which is the North Island's second largest lake at 80 square kilometers.

Rotorua accommodation

Rotorua boasts a wide range of accommodation with something for all tastes and budgets.

We have to admit that we like the Millenium. It's in a nice central location and many of the rooms have beautiful lake views (make sure to ask for a lake view). There is also an on site
restaurant and bar, and to soothe your aching joints, they also have hot pools and a spa.

Cable cars take the 900
metre journey to the top of Mt Ngongotaha (487 metres) where you will
enjoy stunning views of Rotorua and surrounds. The luge ride is great
fun as you ride your kart down one of three tracks. Then return to the
top by chairlift, and do it all over again!

* Hell's
Gate/Tikitere, which is considered to be the most active of Rotorua's
thermal areas, contains an active mud volcano and hot waterfall.

* the Polynesian Spa, located lake side, has a selection of hot pools overlooking the lake.

* Tamaki Maori Village for an authentic presentation of traditional Maori life (the Hangi feast, cooked in the ground is yummy!).

Still not sure what to see and do in Rotorua?

Our best advice is to carefully read customer reviews. With limited time, there's nothing worse than wasting time on a poor attraction (not that New Zealand has many of those!).

You can read reviews and search through a whole range of attractions, tours and activities right here.

Although the Waitomo
village is quite small, there are still a few good accommodation choices in
the village and surrounds. You can check them out here.

Nearby, the township of Te Kuiti (around 4,000 residents) also has several places to stay. You can see what's available and read customer
reviews here.

Time to explore the Waitomo Caves

The complex includes the unforgettable Ruakuri Cave, Aranui Cave, and
the spectacular Glowworm Caves. The caves are a must see, and you will
marvel at the display as thousands of tiny glowworms radiate their
gentle glow.

Expert guides will provide commentary on the caves history as you make your way through the complex.

Our recommendation

Perhaps the most popular tour is this one which takes you meandering through the caves on a serene boat ride to see the famous glowworms. You will never forget the sight of thousands of these tiny creatures twinkling above you. Amazing.

If
you crave something a little more adventurous, why not try black water
rafting. 3 or 5 hour adventures will have you jumping, weaving,
abseiling, and tubing through Ruakuri Caves glowworm lit waters.

The
operator, the Black Water Rafting company, have been in operation for
over 20 years, and have guided over half a million visitors through this
underground wonderland.

Day 14 Return to Auckland

Today on your New Zealand itinerary you return to Auckland (3 hours drive).

You can use your afternoon to catch up on some of those things that you missed out on earlier in your trip.

Accommodation near the airport

If you need accommodation close to the Auckland airport, here's a selection of hotels.